On paper, customer experience (CX) is about people creating memorable experiences for other people. But in reality, resonating with consumers is complex and messy. Customers approach your brand with unique emotional profiles, tendencies, and preferences that shape how they feel about your CX. Like people themselves, CX isn’t objective or static — its quality relies on the customer’s motivations and expectations.

Let’s take the example of banking in the UK. At first blush, the overall CX Index benchmark reveals that UK banks are providing “good” CX and that eliciting feelings of “being valued” drive advocacy and spend. But what exactly makes consumers feel valued? The answer differs for Progressive Pioneers (the most empowered customers) and Convenience Conformers (those becoming empowered by digital tools):

Progressive Pioneers seek confidence; Convenience Conformers seek convenience.Forrester’s Consumer Technographics® data shows that Progressive Pioneers engage with brands and channels that help them feel in control of their choices, while Convenience Conformers appreciate resources that are convenient above all else.

Digital isn’t the silver bullet. Our data reveals that Progressive Pioneers have most confidence in their bank when they interact through digital and physical channels, while Convenience Conformers are content with digital-only solutions.

Banks striving to win or retain Progressive Pioneers must explore cross-channel strategies that enable decision making, while those focusing on Convenience Conformers are better served by digitizing the pain points of the experience. These insights help you make more precise decisions about what your increasingly empowered customers need and where to spend your time.

Excellent CX in the UK is still rare, which means there is a huge financial upside for brands that transform their CX. But the path of CX transformation starts with measuring empowered customers. When brands deeply understand consumer motivations, they can make sense of customers’ behavior, desire for novelty, and likelihood to reward innovation with revenue.

To access the full Forrester Analytics study on empowered customers and CX, please email us at data@forrester.com.